Musical doll-cradle



June 26, 1956 PACE 2,751,710

MUSICAL DOLL-CRADLE Filed April 29, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l Percy L. Pace INVENTOR.

BY con Wow; 3M

June 26, 1956 P. L. PACE 2,751,710

MUSICAL DOLL-CRADLE Filed April 29, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3 /2 F fir-"2* Fig. 4 Fig. 5

Percy L. Pace IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent MUSICAL DOLL CRADLE Percy L. Pace, Johnstonville, Calif.

Application April 29, 1954, Serial No. 426,386

2 Claims. (Cl. 46-175) This invention relates to a musical doll cradle having a music creating device that is actuated upon rocking movement of the cradle thereby producing a musical sound.

An object of this invention is to provide a doll cradle which produces music when rocked.

Another object of this invention is to provide a doll cradle having a space in one end and a space in the bottom for hiding the musical mechanism in order to provide a decorative and pleasing appearance to the doll cradle.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a musical doll cradle that can be easily constructed of relatively inexpensive materials, a cradle which will be sturdy and incorporating a musical instrument actuated by the rocking of the cradle.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a musical rocking cradle which will be easily assembled and disassembled and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These, together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view showing the musical cradle of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken substantially along section line 22 of Figure 1 showing the details of construction of the musical doll cradle of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the construction of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse, vertical section taken substantially along section line 4-4 of Figure 2 showing the details of construction of the pivotally mounted weight member and the resilient pins thereon; and

Figure 5 is a transverse, vertical section taken substantially along section line 55 of Figure 2 showing the details of construction of the piano wire supporting bridge and the arcuate surface thereon.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, it will be seen that the numeral generally designates the musical doll cradle of the present invention, including a pair of elongated side panels 12, end panels 14 and a bottom panel 16. An inner end panel or false end panel 18 is spaced from the end panel 14 by a top member 20 and the side panels 12, The bottom panel 16 is secured to the lower end of the false end panel 18 and a lower bottom or false bottom member 22 extends between the end panels 14 for a purpose described hereinafter.

Adjacent one end of the bottom panel 16 is provided a bridge member 24 having an arcuate lower surface 26 depending from the undersurface of the bottom panel 16. An upstanding lug member 28 is secured to the false bottom member 22 adjacent the end thereof opposite from the bridge member 24. A plurality of piano wire members 30 are secured to the upstanding lug 24 and pass over the bridge 26 with the wires positioned in grooves.

The ends of the wires 30 are each secured to a tension coil spring 32 which is secured to the end panel 14 with suitable eye members 34. Obviously, the wire springs 32 are provided with hook end members 36 for engaging the wires 30 and the eye members 34 thereby tensioning the wires 30 between the abutment member 28 and the bridge 24 thereby creating a taut piano wire such as that found on the usual stringed instrument such as guitars, or the like. Adjacent the upper end of the cavity between the end panel 14 and the false end panel 18 is a pin 38 having a pair of segmental members 49 freely pivotal thereon and depending therefrom and the members 40 receive a concrete weight 42 therebetween for retaining the members 40 in substantially vertical position. A spacer 44 is positioned between the end panel 14 and the member 40 adjcent the end panel 14 thereby spacing the members 40 and the weight 42 from the end panel 14 for free swinging movement about the pivot pin 38. A plurality of resilient steel wire pins 46 are secured to the outer of the segmental members 40 adjacent the arcuate lower edge thereof and the pins 46 extend and equal distance beyond the arcuate lower edge for engaging the wires 30 for picking or vibrating the wires 30. it will be seen that each of the remote end panels 14 are provided with a rounded lower end 48 there by providing a rocker for the cradle 10. It will be seen that the bottom 16 and the false end panel 18 form a smooth inner surface for the cradle 10 and the wires 30 are enclosed by the bottom members 16 and 22 and the weight member 42 is enclosed by the end panel 14 and the false end panel 18 wherein the resilient pins 46 will engage and vibrate the piano wires 39 upon rocking movement of the cradle 10 thereby producing a musical sound. It will be seen that suitable notches 50 may be provided in the upper edges of the end panels 14 and the side panels 12 for enhancing the appearance of the device.

Further, the end panels 14 may be provided with suitable slots for receiving a projecting tab or tongue 52 and the tongue 52 may be provided with a suitable aperture for receiving a wedge shaped member 54 thereby retain ing the end panel 14 to the side panels 12. Obviously, the device may be constructed of any readily obtainable material such as inexpensive wood, such as plywood, or suitable plastics, or the like. The device of the present invention will attact a childs attention while rocking the doll cradle and therefore be a very desirable toy.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A musical doll cradle comprising a frame having curved supporting rockers, a plurality of tensioned piano wires on said frame, gravity operated weight pivotally mounted on said frame, and a plurality of resilient pins projecting radially from said weight for engaging and vibrating the wires thereby creating a musical sound, wherein said frame being provided with end, side and bottom panels, said bottom and one of said end panels formed from a pair of spaced panel members, said wires being positioned between the panel members forming the bottom and said weight positioned between the panel members forming said one and panel, said end panel members having a closure top thereby providing an enclosed cradle, said wires being positioned longitudinally of said frame, said wires positioned over a bridge adjacent one end of the frame, and a tension coil spring 4 attaching an end of each wire to the frame thereby tentacting the piano wires thereby vibrating the wires at sioning the Wires over the bridge, said weight being freely varying frequencies and producing a musical sound. swingable on a horizontal pin, said weight having an arcuate lower end for swinging movement over the wires, References Cited in the file of this P said resilient pins projecting outwardly from the lower 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS end of the Weight and terminating at equal distances from the arcuate lower end of the weight, said pins being congrown 1881 a rown Mar. 15, 1881 structed of spring steel and rigidly secured to the welght. 621 061 G Y M 14 1899 2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said bot- 2 234837 ig 25 1941 torn space and end space are in communication with each 10 2,501,861 Braun Man 28 1950 other, and said pins extend into the bottom space for con- 

